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  • Search Results for: morgan matson

    • Book Review: “Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour” by Morgan Matson

      Posted at 8:50 am by Laura, on June 8, 2014

      Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson 8728403

      Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
      Published: May 2011 (paperback), May 2010 (hardcover)
      Genre: young adult, travel
      ISBN: 9781416990666
      Goodreads: 4.07
      Rating: 
      ★★★★

      Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it’s Amy’s responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn’t ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip – and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar – especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory – but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

      Amy’s life turned upside down after her father died in a car accident three months ago. Her brother’s in rehab in North Carolina, her mother’s in Connecticut preparing their new home, and Amy’s alone in their sold house in California. She has to bring their car to Connecticut, but she’s in no shape to get behind the wheel. Roger, an old family friend, offers to join the road trip on his way to visit his father in Philadelphia. Upon noticing the dull route Amy’s mother mapped out for them, the two decide to go on an adventure — hours in the car, nights in parking lots and hotels and friends’ homes, and diner meals across the country are only the beginnings of a blossoming affection and internal discoveries.

      Matson is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors — along with Gayle Forman and Sarah Dessen — for writing books that seem like it’ll be a sweet teen romance but end up revolving around the girl’s inner journey and growth. The focus on her development makes the flickering of romance all the more realistic and wholesome. Plus, parallel journeys with the self and literally across the country is absolutely perfect.

      Traveling with someone — friends, family, partner — can make or break a relationship. You notice their habits, you’re with them every waking moment, you make decisions together the can change the course of the trip. What was so beautiful about Amy and Roger (near strangers) was that they both knew the other had a reason for wanting to take a detour, and rather than questioning or pestering, they understood one another and accepted it. They listened to each other’s music, played Twenty Questions, and even worked on Amy’s travelog together. They got to know one another on a deep level rather quickly thanks to the tiny car and vast country.

      I can’t say much more about the characters and their journey without spoiling the book (although you may have already read it at this point), but I loved each stop they took, the people they met, the commentary they had about each state, and the descriptions of the landscape as they drove from one coast to the next. The travelog was neat too — receipts, photos, playlist notes, doodles, and random facts on the states — and gave us an in-depth glimpse of Amy and Roger’s growing affection for one another without the two realizing it was happening. Clever, cute, and wonderful.

      Matson is definitely an author to follow.

      Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: travel, genre: young adult, goodreads, review
    • Book Review: “Second Chance Summer” by Morgan Matson

      Posted at 11:26 am by Laura, on May 21, 2014

      Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson 16127936

      Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 
      Published: May 7, 2013 (paperback)
      Genre: young adult
      ISBN: 9781416990680
      Goodreads: 4.13
      Rating: 
      ★★★★

      Taylor Edwards has a tendency to run away when things get tough. But when her father is diagnosed with stage four cancer, Taylor knows this is one situation she can’t outrun.

      To have one last summer together, Taylor’s parents decide to take the family back to their old lake house in the Poconos. Even though Taylor was twelve the last time she went to Lake Phoenix, the people she left behind are still there — like her former best friend Lucy, who’s still hurting from a long-ago betrayal, and her first crush Henry, who’s gotten five years cuter.

      With nights full of fireflies and fireworks, the summer holds the possibility of forgiveness, and maybe even love. Taylor wants to hold on to the moment instead of walking away, but she knows the end of the summer is getting closer — and that time is running out to make the most of her second chance.

      Taylor is good at running away. Her brother’s a genius and her sister’s a talented dancer, and even though Taylor feels like the forgotten middle child with no extraordinary abilities, she knows she’s good at running away when things become too difficult. But she can’t do that now, with her father diagnosed with terminal cancer. The Edwards decide to spend one last summer at their lake house, and while Taylor is nervous facing old friend and new coworker Lucy, and tongue-tied around old crush and new neighbor Henry, she will do anything to make her father happy and proud. Morning breakfasts and life questions, star-gazing, movies on the beach, ice cream runs and bike rides — these are the things that number the days as Taylor works hard on second chances.

      The first slip I pulled from my TBR jar was this book, and I’m so glad it was!

      I’ve heard wonderful things about Matson’s work. My first experience with Matson’s writing was actually through her other pen name, Katie Finn, and the premise of the two books seemed too familiar and I was beginning to worry (same pizza preference, weird situation with friends from several years ago, lake house, etc). But I shouldn’t have. This book is miles away from what I expected.

      Second Chance Summer is about self-discovery, overcoming fears, facing reality even in the darkest times, and embracing the happy moments fully. Taylor grows from a scared, insecure teen into a determined young woman. Not only did she work extra hard to quit running away when facing the inevitable, she strived to make amends with Lucy and Henry — who, quite honestly, were very understanding and wonderful characters. Though Lucy and Taylor have changed a lot in the last five years apart, the root of their friendship was very tangible, making it easier to reconcile the past. Henry, too, was a reassuring presence for Taylor, the basis of their relationship built on those years of separation and growth. From shifts at the snack bar to fireworks on the docks, you watch Taylor slowly piece together who she is and what she wants to be.

      But as great of a summer with friends can be, Taylor is never completely unaware of her father’s deterioration. With each passing week — and soon, each passing day — Taylor learns about the man behind the booming lawyer voice and silly puns, and tries to not notice his weight loss, his wincing, his skin. They share ice cream runs after picking up corn and black licorice from the grocery store; a stray dog, with Taylor’s help, becomes his constant companion; they swap placemat questions at a breakfast diner; they laugh at deadpan humor; they share music tastes and watch favorite movies. Every moment was laced with happiness, longing, and sorrow, and by the end there’s no point in wiping the tears from your face because they’ll keep coming anyway.

      Second Chance Summer is deep and powerful in a very understated way. It’s a beautiful and light summer story mixed with the reality of the mortality and inevitability of life. Very few YA books can create such strong, conflicting emotions and weave them seamlessly throughout. For naysayers out there who claim YA is filled with garbage, hand them this book. Sometimes, YA is more than any adult fiction could be.

      Last but not least: Murphy, adorkable love-struck Warren, the slumber party scene, and Casablanca.

      Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, goodreads, review
    • MSWL for 2022

      Posted at 11:16 am by Laura, on December 29, 2021

      Also known as
      What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2022

      In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2022, I’m really hoping to see these kinds of projects in particular appear in my inbox. Similar to 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, but with an emphasis on joyful and uplifting stories, especially with contemporary narratives.

      As I mentioned in a recent post, the industry is slammed and publishers are being even more selective, making it even harder for debuts. So I’m being extra picky as well––and I’m hopeful this post helps provide insight to my wishlist!

      Keep in mind, a manuscript is more than a recipe combining themes of Book A, characters like those found in Book B, with a plot like Book C. It’s in the essence of the writing, the make-up of the narrative, the style of the voice––that’s what captures attention. A really great manuscript infuses the tone, atmosphere, and emotion into every word, applying careful attention to detail to evoke a sensation from the page to the reader’s mind. That’s what agents are looking for. We’re enticed by your recipe and hope to be moved by the outcome. So while I am pointing out published books that accomplished elements of what I love and what I’m seeking, I’m also pointing out books that most accurately display the essence of what I’m looking for.

      ~~~

      ADULT FICTION

      Fantasy || I adore fantasy inspired by historical events, cultures, folklore, and fairytales. More often than not, these fantasies tend to be set in secondary worlds, where magic may or may not exist, but the feel of the novel is certainly magical. My absolute favorites are The City of Brass (Islamic- and Arabic-inspired, set in 18th-c outside Cairo), Uprooted and Spinning Silver (Eastern European and Jewish fairytale retellings), The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Filipino-inspired culture), and Daughter of the Forest (Irish Celtic mythology). Award-winning author and client Tasha Suri‘s Empire of Sand, Realm of Ash, and The Jasmine Throne are inspired by Indian history and mythology, and Malice by Heather Walter spins a fairytale completely on its head. These books have lush writing and beautiful characterizations, which is what I’m most drawn to in these fantasies. I also enjoy in-depth world-building and unique perspectives (literally everything about A Darker Shade of Magic), have thoroughly enjoyed dragon stories (Priory of the Orange Tree and His Majesty’s Dragon), am seeking more previously-established-relationships among ensemble casts with one POV (a la Kings of the Wyld), and I want to find my own Queen of Blood, Bone Ships, or The Wolf and the Whale.

      Pie-in-the-sky manuscript: What every single book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading. I would especially love to see this from marginalized and underrepresented voices.

      Historical Fantasy || Though a branch off fantasy (“low fantasy”), this category is for all those books that have a hint of magic within the historical narrative. Not necessarily magical realism––but a tiny little something sparks that energy and spins into the fantastical. In Another Time explores wormholes in WWII, The Familiars leaves you wondering if she really was a witch, The Winter Witch adds an element of intrigue on a quiet Welsh farm, Outlander has a hint of time travel but is otherwise historical, and A Secret History of Witches explores generations of women in one family and the impact their magic has on the community. I would love to see more gothic-, religiously-, politically-infused historical fantasies like The Once and Future Witches and The Year of the Witching––I would fall over to represent something like that! Basically if it involves witches, a hint of magic, and the ways in which a community unravels, I’m down.

      Pie-in-the-sky: A fresh and unique spin on historical events that then asks, “what if…?” What if witches were real during XYZ historical event? What if witches were behind A? What if magic was the cause of B? What if someone with XYZ abilities could’ve changed the outcome to C? What if magic/witches were the root of religion? Take the idea and run with it.

      Women’s Fiction || I adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Window Opens, Leave Me, Goodbye, Paris, The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit/romcom — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with Don’t You Forget About Me, The Friend Zone, Ayesha at Last, The Matzah Ball, A Holly Jolly Diwali, and The Flatshare. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either!

      Pie-in-the-sky: I’ve found I’m drawn to two particular sorts of protagonists and life journeys in women’s fiction. The first is the character that thinks they’re content when actually they’re lonely. Though these characters are typically older or curmudgeonly––and that’s okay––a kind and young character can experience this too. I’m drawn to the ways in which another character/event challenges them to break routine. The second is the character that has something preventing them from moving forward in life––grief, finances, a relationship––and the snowball effect that has throughout the narrative. I want to read something joyful and uplifting, with levity and humor throughout.

      Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history, or it takes on a fresh new look at popular historical events (WWI and WWII, for example, are incredibly common on the shelves, but it’s how the story is told or the unique perspective the story is told through that brings them to the shelves). For example, my favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks), The Romanov Empress (about Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II), and Dear Mrs. Bird (WWII advice columnist/slice-of-life narrative). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics/reigns, first female to ___), like client Clarissa Harwood‘s Impossible Saints. In 2021, my favorite books included The Book of Longings, Hamnet, and The Giver of Stars. Admittedly, I’m most familiar with European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and the writing style is relatable to a modern audience.

      Pie-in-the-sky: Lately I’ve been craving Gilded Age/turn-of-the-century narratives, particularly in the ways American wealth supported British aristocracy. I also want to read about women we know (Wu Zetian, Elizabeth Bathory, Mette Magrete Tvistman), women behind great men in history, and women being the first in smaller [and oftentimes fictional] ways––like the first to run her family’s Victorian shop, with Sarah Waters vibes, for example.

      Contemporary/Historical Parallel Narratives in Fiction || There are great ways to introduce parallel narratives in historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Some of my favorites include anything pertaining to archivists, curators, scribes, researchers, and academics. Sometimes the parallel narrative is in the form of epistolary fiction –– artifacts and documents the curator, archivist, or researcher in the modern day stumbles across that takes us into the historical narrative literally (like The Weight of Ink, Possession, The Lost Apothecary) or figuratively (Meet Me at the Museum). I especially adore fiction that follows said curator, archivist, and academic on their journey, like The Clockmaker’s Daughter. I’m open to two historical narratives (Letters from Skye) as well as one historical and one contemporary, just as long as both narratives are tied in some way while still having two separate, compelling journeys.

      YOUNG ADULT FICTION

      Fantasy & Historical Fantasy || The YA world is difficult to break into, especially in fantasy. But I’m such a sucker for YA fantasy — I love all the worlds and ideas and originality that floods the market. That’s the issue at stake, though: it needs to be original. So while I love fairytale retellings, they need to be proper retellings, with twists and turns and (for goodness’s sake) new names––just like my clients Lisa DeSelm’s The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice and Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights. I love culturally-influenced or mythology-inspired stories (like Six Crimson Cranes and Don’t Call the Wolf), but I’m not interested in Greek or Roman mythology whatsoever. (Never have been.) I love historically-inspired fantasies, too, such as Walk on Earth a Stranger. That said, I’m very much into elemental magic — when magic is innate, a part of the world, or part of the world’s faith/mythology — over all other kinds of fantasies, like Shielded by my client KayLynn Flanders. Think Star-Touched Queen, Shadowfell, Sorcery of Thorns, and Hunted. If you have a YA fantasy, send it my way, especially if they fit into any of the above criteria.

      Pie-in-the-sky: (As stated in the adult fiction section, since it applies here too) What every single book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading. They’re entertaining, but I’m here for the meat of the story, not the garnish. I would especially love to see this from marginalized and underrepresented voices.

      Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen. That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms like When Dimple Met Rishi (technology camps!), Royals (royals’ sidekicks fall in love!) and Anna and the French Kiss (study abroad programs!), badass heroines like Dumplin’ (fighting against stereotypes!), and great family and friendship dynamics like Emma Mills, Morgan Matson, and Jenny Han. Perfect examples of this are my own clients Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door) and Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos). I’d love to see more characters with fun and interesting jobs and unique hobbies (A Pho Love Story and Happily Ever Afters). I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end. This year especially, I want to see more joy and uplifting reads!

      Historical || Historical fiction is very hard to break into in YA. Sometimes it needs to have magical elements, sometimes it needs to be an era that readers are familiar with. Look to your own city, look to the history books, look to your family history, and see what seemingly small event had a large impact for that area. A Prisoner of Night and Fog is set in Germany in the 1930s, not quite WWII but through the perspective of someone in the middle of the frightening changes in the country; Outrun the Moon is set during the San Francisco earthquake, and how race and economic status barriers fell in a state of emergency; A Madness So Discreet is set across America in the 1800s, battling patriarchy and standing up for those unlawfully sentenced to mental institutions; The Forbidden Orchid is set in Asia as a Victorian girl hunts down her father, a man in the middle of a race to find a perfect, rare orchid; The Bird and the Blade, though partially based on a folk tale, is inspired by historical events during the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan’s reign of power. There are so many more — but great YA historical fiction requires an intriguing and original premise, a general accessibility, and bringing the past to life. I would love to see historical fiction set outside the US and Western Europe!

      ~~~

      For a final once-over, feel free to read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, check out my clients page and book deals records, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder:

      ALWAYS seeking: diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. The obvious shouldn’t need to be said — that I want my projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, that I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, that I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, that these books need to be on bookshelves — but that’s the state of things. So yes, there is no question to it: I want diversity.

      ALWAYS open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling — I am open to queries. I never close. I read every single query. It’s unfair to you as the writer to try to keep track of all the agents who are opened or closed, and (selfishly) it’s unfair to me to be closed when something truly remarkable could have been in my inbox for me to represent. SO! With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. I am never closed to queries.

      NEVER seeking: anything set in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), Greek or Roman-inspired narratives (I’m sorry, I’m just not into it), all nonfiction (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), scripts or screenplays, paranormal romance, erotica. If your project uses any of these concepts to describe it, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me.

      ~~~

      I hope this is helpful! I’m looking forward to receiving great manuscripts and selling lots in 2022!

      Posted in agenting | 0 Comments | Tagged agenting, personal
    • MSWL for 2021

      Posted at 12:15 pm by Laura, on January 1, 2021

      Also known as
      What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2021

      In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2021, I’m really hoping to see these kinds of projects in particular appear in my inbox. Similar to 2018, 2019, and 2020, but with some adjustments and additions (pie-in-the-sky dream projects).

      Keep in mind, a manuscript is more than a recipe combining themes of Book A, characters like those found in Book B, with a plot like Book C. It’s in the essence of the writing, the make-up of the narrative, the style of the voice––that’s what captures attention. A really great manuscript infuses the tone, atmosphere, and emotion into every word, applying careful attention to detail to evoke a sensation from the page to the reader’s mind. That’s what agents are looking for. We’re enticed by your recipe and hope to be moved by the outcome. So while I am pointing out published books that accomplished elements of what I love and what I’m seeking, I’m also pointing out books that most accurately display the essence of what I’m looking for.

      ~~~

      ADULT FICTION

      Fantasy || I adore fantasy inspired by historical events, cultures, folklore, and fairytales. More often than not, these fantasies tend to be set in secondary worlds, where magic may or may not exist, but the feel of the novel is certainly magical. My absolute favorites are The City of Brass (Islamic- and Arabic-inspired, set in 18th-c outside Cairo), Uprooted and Spinning Silver (Eastern European and Jewish fairytale retellings), The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Filipino-inspired culture), and Daughter of the Forest (Irish Celtic mythology). Award-winning author and client Tasha Suri‘s Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash are based on 15th-c Mughal-Indian mythology, and upcoming Malice by Heather Walter spins a fairytale completely on its head. Each of these books have lush writing and beautiful characterizations, which is what I’m most drawn to in these fantasies. I also enjoy in-depth world-building and unique perspectives (literally everything about A Darker Shade of Magic), have thoroughly enjoyed dragon stories (Priory of the Orange Tree and His Majesty’s Dragon), am seeking more previously-established ensemble casts with one POV (a la Kings of the Wyld), and I want to find my own Queen of Blood, Bone Ships, or The Wolf and the Whale.

      Pie-in-the-sky manuscript: What every single book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading.

      Historical Fantasy || Though a branch off fantasy (“low fantasy”), this category is for all those books that have a hint of magic within the historical narrative. Not necessarily magical realism––but a tiny little something sparks that energy and spins into the fantastical. In Another Time explores wormholes in WWII, The Familiars leaves you wondering if she really was a witch, The Winter Witch adds an element of intrigue in a quiet Welsh farm, Outlander has a hint of time travel but is otherwise historical, and A Secret History of Witches explores generations of women in one family and the impact their magic has on the community. My favorite books in 2020 included The Once and Future Witches and The Year of the Witching, and I would fall over to represent something like that! Basically if it involves witches, a hint of magic, and the ways in which a community unravels, I’m down.

      Pie-in-the-sky: A fresh and unique spin on historical events that then asks, “what if…?” What if witches were real during XYZ historical event? What if witches were behind A? What if magic was the cause of B? What if someone with XYZ abilities could’ve changed the outcome to C? What if magic/witches were the root of religion? Take the idea and run with it.

      Women’s Fiction || I adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Window Opens, Leave Me, Goodbye, Paris, and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with Don’t You Forget About Me, The Friend Zone, Ayesha at Last, and The Flatshare. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either!

      Pie-in-the-sky: I’ve found I’m drawn to two particular sorts of protagonists and life journeys in women’s fiction. The first is the character that thinks they’re content when actually they’re lonely. Though these characters are typically older or curmudgeonly––and that’s okay––a kind and young character can experience this too. I’m drawn to the ways in which another character/event challenges them to break routine. The second is the character that has something preventing them from moving forward in life––grief, finances, a relationship––and the snowball effect that has throughout the narrative.

      Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history, or it takes on a fresh new look at popular historical events (WWI and WWII, for example, are incredibly common on the shelves, but it’s how the story is told or the unique perspective the story is told through that brings them to the shelves). For example, my favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks), The Romanov Empress (about Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II), and Dear Mrs. Bird (WWII advice columnist/slice-of-life narrative). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics/reigns, first female to ___), like client Clarissa Harwood‘s Impossible Saints. Admittedly, I’m most familiar with European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and fresh and the writing style relatable to a modern audience.

      Pie-in-the-sky: Lately I’ve been craving Gilded Age/turn-of-the-century narratives, particularly in the ways American wealth supported British aristocracy. I also want to read about women we know (Wu Zetian, Elizabeth Bathory, Mette Magrete Tvistman), women behind great men in history, and women being the first in smaller [and oftentimes fictional] ways––like the first to run her family’s Victorian shop, with Sarah Waters vibes, for example.

      Contemporary/Historical Parallel Narratives in Fiction || There are great ways to introduce parallel narratives in historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Some of my favorites include anything pertaining to archivists, curators, scribes, researchers, and academics. Sometimes the parallel narrative is in the form of epistolary fiction –– artifacts and documents the curator, archivist, or researcher in the modern day stumbles across that takes us into the historical narrative literally (like The Weight of Ink and Possession) or figuratively (Meet Me at the Museum). I especially adore fiction that follows said curator, archivist, and academic on their journey, like The Clockmaker’s Daughter. I’m open to two historical narratives (Letters from Skye) as well as one historical and one contemporary, just as long as both narratives are tied in some way while still having two separate, compelling journeys.

      YOUNG ADULT FICTION

      Fantasy & Historical Fantasy || The YA world is difficult to break into, especially in fantasy. But I’m such a sucker for YA fantasy — I love all the worlds and ideas and originality that floods the market. That’s the issue at stake, though: it needs to be original. So while I love fairytale retellings, they need to be proper retellings, with twists and turns and (for goodness’s sake) new names––just like my clients Lisa DeSelm’s The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice and Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights. I love culturally-influenced or mythology-inspired stories (like Spin the Dawn and Don’t Call the Wolf), but I’m not interested in Greek or Roman mythology whatsoever. (Never have been.) I love historically-inspired fantasies, too, such as Walk on Earth a Stranger. That said, I’m very much into elemental magic — when magic is innate, a part of the world, or part of the world’s faith/mythology — over all other kinds of fantasies, like Shielded by my client KayLynn Flanders. Think Star-Touched Queen, Shadowfell, Sorcery of Thorns, and Hunted. If you have a YA fantasy, send it my way, especially if they fit into any of the above criteria.

      Pie-in-the-sky: (As stated in the adult fiction section, since it applies here too) What every single book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading. They’re entertaining, but I’m here for the meat of the story, not the garnish.

      Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen. That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms like When Dimple Met Rishi (technology camps!), Royals (royals’ sidekicks fall in love!) and Anna and the French Kiss (study abroad programs!), badass heroines like Dumplin’ (fighting against stereotypes!), and great family and friendship dynamics like Emma Mills, Morgan Matson, and Jenny Han. Perfect examples of this are my own clients Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door) and Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos). I’d love to see more characters with fun and interesting jobs and unique hobbies. I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end.

      Historical || Historical fiction is very hard to break into in YA. Sometimes it needs to have magical elements, sometimes it needs to be an era that readers are familiar with. Look to your own city, look to the history books, look to your family history, and see what seemingly small event had a large impact for that area. A Prisoner of Night and Fog is set in Germany in the 1930s, not quite WWII but through the perspective of someone in the middle of the frightening changes in the country; Outrun the Moon is set during the San Francisco earthquake, and how race and economic status barriers fell in a state of emergency; A Madness So Discreet is set across America in the 1800s, battling patriarchy and standing up for those unlawfully sentenced to mental institutions; The Forbidden Orchid is set in Asia as a Victorian girl hunts down her father, a man in the middle of a race to find a perfect, rare orchid; The Bird and the Blade, though partially based on a folk tale, is inspired by historical events during the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan’s reign of power. There are so many more — but great YA historical fiction requires an intriguing and original premise, a general accessibility, and bringing the past to life. I would love to see historical fiction set outside the US and Western Europe!

      ~~~

      For a final once-over, feel free to follow my #mswl and #MSWLaesthetic on Twitter, read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, check out my clients page and book deals records, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder:

      ALWAYS seeking: diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. The obvious shouldn’t need to be said — that I want my projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, that I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, that I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, that these books need to be on bookshelves — but that’s the state of things. So yes, there is no question to it: I want diversity.

      ALWAYS open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling — I am open to queries. I never close. I read every single query. It’s unfair to you as the writer to try to keep track of all the agents who are opened or closed, and (selfishly) it’s unfair to me to be closed when something truly remarkable could have been in my inbox for me to represent. SO! With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. I am never closed to queries.

      NEVER seeking: anything set in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), Greek or Roman-inspired narratives (I’m sorry, I’m just not into it), all nonfiction (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), scripts or screenplays, paranormal romance, erotica. If your project uses any of these concepts to describe it, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me.

      ~~~

      I hope this is helpful! I’m looking forward to receiving great manuscripts and selling lots in 2021!

      Posted in agenting | 1 Comment | Tagged agenting, personal
    • MSWL for 2020

      Posted at 10:00 am by Laura, on January 1, 2020

      Also known as
      What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2020

      In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2020, I’m really hoping to see these kinds of projects in particular appear in my inbox. Similar to 2018 and 2019, but with some adjustments and additions.

      The biggest “change” this year is I’m seeking more in fantasy. I was hesitant in 2019 since my inbox was already flooded. But last year’s book deals have proven that my deepest and most successful love appears to be in fantasy. So I’m diving into my particular taste below!

      ~~~

      ADULT FICTION

      Fantasy || I adore fantasy inspired by historical events, cultures, folklore, and fairytales. My absolute favorites are The City of Brass (Islamic- and Arabic-inspired, set in 18th-c outside Cairo), Uprooted and Spinning Silver (Eastern European and Jewish fairytale retellings), and Daughter of the Forest (Irish Celtic mythology). Award-winning author and client Tasha Suri‘s Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash are based on 15th-c Mughal-Indian mythology. Each of these books have lush writing and beautiful characterizations, which is what I’m most drawn to in these fantasies. I also enjoy in-depth world-building and unique perspectives, have recently thoroughly enjoyed dragon stories (Priory of the Orange Tree and His Majesty’s Dragon), am seeking more ensemble casts with one POV (a la Kings of the Wyld), and I want to find my own Queen of Blood, Bone Ships, or The Wolf and the Whale.

      Historical Fantasy || Though a branch off fantasy (“low fantasy”), this category is for all those books that have a hint of magic within the historical narrative. Not necessarily magical realism––I like the laws of magic to exist––but a tiny little something sparks that energy and spins into the fantastical. In Another Time explores wormholes in WWII, The Familiars leaves you wondering if she really was a witch, The Winter Witch adds an element of intrigue in a quiet Welsh farm, Outlander has a hint of time travel but is otherwise historical, and A Secret History of Witches explores generations of women in one family and the impact their magic has on the community. Basically if it involves witches, a hint of magic, and the ways in which a community unravels, I’m down.

      Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history, or it takes on a fresh new look at popular historical events (WWI and WWII, for example, are incredibly common on the shelves, but it’s how the story is told or the unique perspective the story is told through that brings them to the shelves). For example, my favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks), The Romanov Empress (about Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II), and Dear Mrs. Bird (WWII advice columnist/slice-of-life narrative). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics/reigns). Admittedly, I’m most familiar with European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and fresh and the writing style relatable to a modern audience.

      Contemporary/Historical Parallel Narratives in Fiction || There are great ways to introduce parallel narratives in historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Some of my favorites include anything pertaining to archivists, curators, scribes, researchers, and academics. Sometimes the parallel narrative is in the form of epistolary fiction –– artifacts and documents the curator, archivist, or researcher in the modern day stumbles across that takes us into the historical narrative literally (like The Weight of Ink and Possession) or figuratively (Meet Me at the Museum). I especially adore fiction that follows said curator, archivist, and academic on their journey, like The Clockmaker’s Daughter. I’m open to two historical narratives (Letters from Skye) as well as one historical and one contemporary, just as long as both narratives are tied in some way while still having two separate, compelling journeys.

      Women’s Fiction || I adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Window Opens, Leave Me, Goodbye, Paris, and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with Don’t You Forget About Me, The Friend Zone, Ayesha at Last, and Attachments. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either!

      YOUNG ADULT FICTION

      Fantasy & Historical Fantasy || The YA world is difficult to break into, especially in fantasy. But I’m such a sucker for YA fantasy — I love all the worlds and ideas and originality that floods the market. That’s the issue at stake, though: it needs to be original. So while I love fairytale retellings, they need to be proper retellings, with twists and turns and (for goodness’s sake) new names. I love culturally-influenced or mythology-inspired stories (like Spin the Dawn and Don’t Call the Wolf), but I’m not interested in Greek or Roman mythology whatsoever. (Never have been.) I love historically-inspired fantasies, too, such as Walk on Earth a Stranger. That said, I’m very much into elemental magic — when magic is innate, a part of the world, or part of the world’s faith/mythology — over all other kinds of fantasies. Think Star-Touched Queen, Shadowfell, Sorcery of Thorns, and Hunted. If you have a YA fantasy, send it my way, especially if they fit into any of the above criteria. I’m especially hunting down a Viking-inspired fantasy…

      Historical || Historical fiction is very hard to break into in YA. Sometimes it needs to have magical elements, sometimes it needs to be an era that readers are familiar with. Look to your own city, look to the history books, look to your family history, and see what seemingly small event had a large impact for that area. A Prisoner of Night and Fog is set in Germany in the 1930s, not quite WWII but through the perspective of someone in the middle of the frightening changes in the country; Outrun the Moon is set during the San Francisco earthquake, and how race and economic status barriers fell in a state of emergency; A Madness So Discreet is set across America in the 1800s, battling patriarchy and standing up for those unlawfully sentenced to mental institutions; The Forbidden Orchid is set in Asia as a Victorian girl hunts down her father, a man in the middle of a race to find a perfect, rare orchid; The Bird and the Blade, though partially based on a folk tale, is inspired by historical events during the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan’s reign of power. There are so many more — but great YA historical fiction requires an intriguing and original premise, a general accessibility, and bringing the past to life. I would love to see historical fiction set outside the US and Western Europe!

      Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen. That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms like When Dimple Met Rishi (technology camps!), Royals (royals’ sidekicks fall in love!) and Anna and the French Kiss (study abroad programs!), badass heroines like Dumplin’ (fighting against stereotypes!), and great family and friendship dynamics like Emma Mills, Morgan Matson, and Jenny Han. Perfect examples of this are my own clients Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door) and Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos). I’d love to see more characters with fun and interesting jobs, unique hobbies, and (as a past drum major) more marching band narratives! I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel, rather than something dark and gritty from the get go and very little humor to carry throughout. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end.

      ~~~

      For a final once-over, feel free to follow my #mswl and #MSWLaesthetic on Twitter, read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder:

      ALWAYS seeking: diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. The obvious shouldn’t need to be said — that I want my projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, that I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, that I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, that these books need to be on bookshelves — but that’s the state of things. So yes, there is no question to it: I want diversity.

      ALWAYS open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling — I am open to queries. I never close. I read every single query. It’s unfair to you as the writer to try to keep track of all the agents who are opened or closed, and (selfishly) it’s unfair to me to be closed when something truly remarkable could have been in my inbox for me to represent. SO! With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. I am never closed to queries.

      NEVER seeking: anything set in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), all nonfiction (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), paranormal romance, erotica. If your project uses any of these concepts to describe it, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me.

      ~~~

      I hope this is helpful! I’m looking forward to receiving great manuscripts and selling lots in 2020!

      Posted in agenting | 2 Comments | Tagged agenting, personal
    • MSWL for 2019

      Posted at 5:15 pm by Laura, on January 1, 2019

      Also Known As
      What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2019

      In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2019, I’m really hoping to see these kinds of projects in particular appear in my inbox. Similar to 2018, but with some adjustments.

      Please note: my inbox is flooded with YA and Adult fantasy. I don’t mind that one bit! But I’m already pretty particular about fantasy, and I do represent a variety of fantasy writers already. To really expand my list, I’d like to see more in these categories and genres…

      ~

      Adult Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history, or it takes on a fresh new look at popular historical events (WWI and WWII, for example, are incredibly common on the shelves, but it’s how the story is told or the unique perspective the story is told through that brings them to the shelves). For example, my favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks), The Romanov Empress (about Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II), and Dear Mrs. Bird (WWII advice columnist/slice-of-life narrative). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics/reigns). Admittedly, I’m most drawn to European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and fresh.

      Adult Contemporary/Historical Parallel Narratives in Fiction || There are great ways to introduce parallel narratives in historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Some of my favorites include anything pertaining to archivists, curators, scribes, researchers, and academics. Sometimes the parallel narrative is in the form of epistolary fiction –– artifacts and documents the curator, archivist, or researcher in the modern day stumbles across that takes us into the historical narrative literally (like The Weight of Ink and Possession) or figuratively (Meet Me at the Museum). I especially adore fiction that follows said curator, archivist, and academic on their journey, like The Clockmaker’s Daughter. I’m open to two historical narratives (Letters from Skye) as well as one historical and one contemporary, just as long as both narratives are tied in some way while still having two separate, compelling journeys.

      Adult Contemporary Women’s Fiction || Some of my favorite contemporary women’s fiction tends to be a bit on the morally ambiguous side of things, tackling taboo topics or shedding light on a hot-button issue in a new way. The queen of this, I think, is Jodi Picoult. I also adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Window Opens, Leave Me, Goodbye, Paris, and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with The Hating Game, Attachments, and You and Me, Always. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either!

      Adult Historical Fantasy || I’m such a sucker for these, especially if there are elements of romance. The voice and the writing in historical fantasy is exactly what I love about the two genres separately. It’s accessible, even when it’s a world entirely different from our own. The characters’ voices are enticing, their daily life is familiar, as if I’ve always been a part of it, thanks to the historical aspects of the world. Some of my favorite books and series, such as Outlander, Daughter of the Forest, and The Winter Witch, are historical fantasies. Others, such as City of Brass, Uprooted, The Bear and the Nightingale, and The Queen of Blood, are inspired by history and folklore, though not necessarily part of actual historical pasts. I’d love to see more historical fantasies inspired by other cultures’ histories and folklore, much like my client Tasha Suri’s Empire of Sand.

      Young Adult Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen. That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms like When Dimple Met Rishi (technology camps!), Royals (royals’ sidekicks fall in love!) and Anna and the French Kiss (study abroad programs!), badass heroines like Dumplin’ (fighting against stereotypes!), books that handle mental states with honesty like When We Collided and What to Say Next, and great family and friendship dynamics like Emma Mills, Morgan Matson, and Jenny Han. Perfect examples of this are my own clients Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door) and Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos). I’d love to see more characters with fun and interesting jobs, unique hobbies, and (as a past drum major) more marching band narratives! I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel, rather than something dark and gritty from the get go and very little humor to carry throughout. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end.

      Young Adult Historical || Historical fiction is very hard to break into in YA. Sometimes it needs to have magical elements, sometimes it needs to be an era that readers are familiar with. Look to your own city, look to the history books, look to your family history, and see what seemingly small event had a large impact for that area. A Prisoner of Night and Fog is set in Germany in the 1930s, not quite WWII but through the perspective of someone in the middle of the frightening changes in the country; Outrun the Moon is set during the San Francisco earthquake, and how race and economic status barriers fell in a state of emergency; A Madness So Discreet is set across America in the 1800s, battling patriarchy and standing up for those unlawfully sentenced to mental institutions; The Forbidden Orchid is set in Asia as a Victorian girl hunts down her father, a man in the middle of a race to find a perfect, rare orchid; The Bird and the Blade, though partially based on a folk tale, is inspired by historical events during the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan’s reign of power. There are so many more — but great YA historical fiction requires an intriguing and original premise, a general accessibility, and bringing the past to life. I would love to see historical fiction set outside the US and Western Europe!

      ~

      For a final once-over, feel free to follow my #mswl and #MSWLaesthetic on Twitter, read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder:

      ALWAYS seeking: diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. The obvious shouldn’t need to be said — that I want my projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, that I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, that I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, that these books need to be on bookshelves — but that’s the state of things. So yes, there is no question to it: I want diversity.

      ALWAYS open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling — I am open to queries. I never close. I read every single query. It’s unfair to you as the writer to try to keep track of all the agents who are opened or closed, and (selfishly) it’s unfair to me to be closed when something truly remarkable could have been in my inbox for me to represent. SO! With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. I am never closed to queries.

      NEVER seeking: anything set in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), all nonfiction (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), paranormal romance, erotica. If your project uses any of these concepts to describe it, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me.

      ~

      I hope this is helpful! I’m looking forward to receiving great manuscripts and selling lots in 2019!

      Posted in agenting | 1 Comment | Tagged agenting, personal
    • Mini Reviews

      Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on October 4, 2018

      Save the Date by Morgan Matson

      Publisher: S&S BFYR
      Published: June 2018
      Genre: young adult, contemporary
      Rating: 
      ★★★
      Summary: Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster. Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

      Mini Review: Don’t read this if you’re planning a wedding, because it is literally a book about ALL THE THINGS THAT COULD GO WRONG. All the things. All of them. No but really, that aside, this book covers the 76 hours of a wedding weekend and all the growing pains that come with a giant family in flux. Charlie doesn’t know where she wants to go to college in the fall, she wants to have the perfect weekend with her family and all her siblings back in town, and hidden dramas from the past and present all culminate with her mother’s interview on the final comic strip she’s drawn for the last twenty years. If you love big casts and loud, outspoken characters, and high drama, Matson’s latest checks everything off the list. It’s nothing like her previous work and yet it still has her voice: the wholly middle class teen American girl with her everyday problems of school, friends, family, and crushes.

      The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory (ARC) 

      Publisher: Gallery
      Publishing: October 9
      Genre: women’s fiction
      Rating: 
      ★★★
      Summary: Princess Theodora Isabella Victoria of Drieden of the Royal House Laurent is so over this princess thing. After her fiancé jilted her on their wedding day, she’s finally back home after spending four months in exile—aka it’s back to press conferences, public appearances, and putting on a show for the Driedish nation as the perfect princess they expect her to be. But Thea’s sick of duty. After all, that’s what got her into this mess in the first place.

      So when she sneaks out of the palace and meets a sexy Scot named Nick in a local bar, she relishes the chance to be a normal woman for a change. But just as she thinks she’s found her Prince Charming for the night, he reveals his intentions are less than honorable: he’s the brother of her former fiancé, a British spy, and he’s not above blackmail. As Thea reluctantly joins forces with Nick to find out what happened the day her fiancé disappeared, together they discover a secret that could destroy a centuries-old monarchy and change life as they know it.

      Mini Review: The jacket summary is a little misleading. This implies the royal character has no interest in any of her duties and no desire in assisting her family. This implies she’s unhappy with everything about her life, and that it’s all a burden. That’s not the case, and I’m actually glad of it! The comparisons to The Royal We and Princess Diaries is enormously beneficial in this account because the characters from those novels are endearing and fun — like Thea is in this book, and unlike the jacket’s misleading snobbery.

      Rant on that aside, this novel was equal amounts entertaining and frustrating. I adored Thea in every scene that did not include the love interest, Nick (mostly because I had no interest in the love interest, and on top of that it seemed a little…rushed? forced?), because she was very much a go-get-’em woman, who knows herself and her mind and what she wants. She knows her duty to the crown, and wants breaks every once in a while from it, but it was so clear she adored her family and her country that she’d never turn her back on her role. I liked the chick-lit-meets-James-Bond chase plot, even though I was incredibly frustrated by everyone involved (in summation: “Trust me, don’t trust That Person, but I can’t tell you why I need you to trust me / why I want certain information from you, I just need you to!”). I loved the Driedish history and had to stop myself from Googling things (seriously, Emory made me believe this was was a real monarchy). A quick, fun read all around.

      Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book for review!

      Posted in books, Reviews 2018 | 2 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, mini review, review
    • MSWL for 2018

      Posted at 9:55 pm by Laura, on January 1, 2018

      Also known as
      What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox for 2018

      In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2018, I’m really hoping to see these kinds of projects in particular appear in my inbox.

      My inbox typically floods with fantasy manuscripts across the age categories. I don’t mind that one bit! But I’m already pretty particular about fantasy, and I do represent a variety of fantasy writers already. To really expand my list, I’d like to see more in these categories and genres.

      ~

      Adult Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history, or it takes on a fresh new look at popular historical events (WWI and WWII, for example, are incredibly common on the shelves, but it’s how the story is told or the unique perspective the story is told through that brings them to the shelves). My favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), Letters from Skye (WWI/WWII parallel narrative told entirely in epistolary format), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks). I’m attracted to Between Two Fires (early Welsh history), The White Russian (because I find Russian history fascinating), and Hild (life of a nun). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics). Admittedly, I’m most drawn to European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and fresh.

      Adult Contemporary Women’s Fiction || Some of my favorite contemporary women’s fiction tends to be a bit on the morally ambiguous side of things, tackling taboo topics or shedding light on a hot-button issue in a new way. The queen of this, I think, is Jodi Picoult. I also adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as A Window Opens, Leave Me, and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with The Hating Game, Attachments, and You and Me, Always. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either!

      Adult Historical Fantasy || I’m such a sucker for these, especially if there are elements of romance. The voice and the writing in historical fantasy is exactly what I love about the two genres separately. It’s accessible, even when it’s a world entirely different from our own. The characters’ voices are enticing, their daily life is familiar, as if I’ve always been a part of it, thanks to the historical aspects of the world. Some of my favorite books and series, such as Outlander, Daughter of the Forest, and The Winter Witch, are historical fantasies. Others, such as City of Brass, Uprooted, and The Queen of Blood, are inspired by history and folklore, though not necessarily part of actual historical pasts. I’d love to see more historical fantasies inspired by other cultures’ histories and folklore.

      Young Adult Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. It needs to feel and sound authentic to the teen reader, as they are the target audience. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. It’s not a matter of nostalgia, but a bit like living in my memory — every emotion, every action, how angry and elated I would feel after certain events transpired, how important specific things were for me and why. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen, you get them. Talk to any secondary education teacher or school or YA librarian, and they really understand them.

      That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms like When Dimple Met Rishi (technology camps!) and Anna and the French Kiss (study abroad programs!), badass heroines like Dumplin’ (fighting against stereotypes), books that handle mental states with honesty like When We Collided and What to Say Next, and great family and friendship dynamics like Emma Mills, Morgan Matson, and Jenny Han. I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel, rather than something dark and gritty from the get go and very little humor to carry throughout. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end.

      Young Adult Fantasy || The YA world is difficult to break into, especially in fantasy. But I’m such a sucker for YA fantasy — I love all the worlds and ideas and originality that floods the market. That’s the issue at stake, though: it needs to be original. So while I love fairytale retellings, they need to be proper retellings, with twists and turns and (for goodness’s sake) new names. I love culturally-influenced or mythology-inspired stories, but I’m not interested in Greek or Roman mythology whatsoever. (Never have been.) I love historically-inspired fantasies, too, such as Walk on Earth a Stranger. That said, I’m very much into elemental magic — when magic is innate, a part of the world, or part of the world’s faith/mythology — over all other kinds of fantasies. Think Star-Touched Queen, Shadowfell, and Hunted. If you have a YA fantasy, send it my way, especially if they fit into any of the above criteria. I’m especially hunting down a Viking-inspired fantasy…

      Young Adult Historical || Historical fiction is very hard to break into in YA. Sometimes it needs to have magical elements, sometimes it needs to be an era that readers are familiar with. But that usually limits it to WWII novels or fantasy. So what do I want that’s different from that? Simple. Look to your own city, look to the history books, look to your family history, and see what seemingly small event had a large impact for that area. A Prisoner of Night and Fog is set in Germany in the 1930s, not quite WWII but through the perspective of someone in the middle of the frightening changes in the country; Outrun the Moon is set during the San Francisco earthquake, and how race and economic status barriers fell in a state of emergency; A Madness So Discreet is set across America in the 1800s, battling patriarchy and standing up for those unlawfully sentenced to mental institutions; The Forbidden Orchid is set in Asia as a Victorian girl hunts down her father, a man in the middle of a race to find a perfect, rare orchid. There are so many more — but great YA historical fiction requires an intriguing and original premise, a general accessibility, and bringing the past to life.

      ~

      For a final once-over, feel free to follow my #mswl on Twitter and on #MSWL website, follow #MSWLaesthetic, read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder:

      ALWAYS seeking: diversity. We each experience life differently because of diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. The obvious shouldn’t need to be said — that I want my projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, that I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, that I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, that these books need to be on bookshelves — but that’s the state of things. So yes, there is no question to it: I want diversity.

      ALWAYS open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling or anything — I am open to queries. I never close. I read every single query. It’s unfair to you as the writer to try to keep track of all the agents who are opened or closed, and (selfishly) it’s unfair to me to be closed when something truly remarkable could have been in my inbox for me to represent. SO! With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. I am never closed to queries.

      NEVER seeking: anything in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), all nonfiction projects (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), paranormal romance, erotica. If your project uses any of these concepts to describe it, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me.

      ~

      I hope this is helpful! I look forward to reading and selling excellent manuscripts in 2018!

      Posted in agenting | 4 Comments | Tagged agenting, personal
    • The Intimidating TBR Tag

      Posted at 6:10 am by Laura, on August 29, 2017

      Life has been busy, to say the least. Though I’ve been reading, I haven’t reviewed as much lately. To keep the blog from being perpetually silent until I’ve managed to write reviews for the books I’ve read, why don’t we check out this tag. Thanks, Morgan @ The Bookish Beagle, for sharing!

      The Intimidating TBR Tag

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      What book on your TBR have you been unable to finish? || I’ve started quite a few, but Miss You, The Wild Girl, and Bellman & Black are the three that have bookmarks still in them. I even recall without having to open them what was going on when I stopped. So…that’s something?

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      What book on your TBR haven’t you read because . . .

      . . . you haven’t had the time? || Around this time last year I decided that this year I would try to read a Gabaldon or Marillier book a month. They’re big books (in number of pages and in concept), and surely a month would be enough time. As you can tell from my seasonal posts…I haven’t been very good with this challenge! So let’s start with The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon!

      . . . it’s a sequel? || Winner’s Kiss. I was so pumped for the final book of the trilogy, bought it the day of publication, and now it’s been sitting on my shelf for what feels like ages! Gah. It’s like, if I don’t read it, the trilogy won’t end, right?

      . . . it’s brand new? || The Reluctant Queen. It’s the most brand new of this TBR tag, at least — just a month or so — but I want to be able to sink into this one properly. I loved the world-building and characters in The Queen of Blood, so I want do this one justice in my read.

      . . . you didn’t enjoy the author’s first book? || The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place, because you guys, I didn’t like All the Truth that’s in Me (though the review I gave looks pretty generous, in hindsight it frustrated me to no end). I’ve heard several times this book is very different (audience, topic, writing style, sense of humor), but I’m still nervous nonetheless.

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      . . . you haven’t been in the mood? || The Price of Blood by Patricia Bracewell. This trilogy (or is it just duology? GR says trilogy but the third book’s taking some time to come out to the world if that’s the case) is everything I could ever want. Emma of Normandy, in England during the Viking takeover prior to William the Conqueror. YAAAAS. But I need to be in the right mood for this depth of historical fiction. Bracewell’s writing is just so exquisitely beautiful, I need to treasure the read!

      . . . it’s humongous? || I like big books and I cannot lie, but there’s something about the weight of Morgan Matson’s The Unexpected Everything that I find intimidating for a contemporary YA! I mean…does it really need to be that long? Really?

      . . . it was a cover buy and it ended up receiving poor reviews? || Oh, see, I don’t have too many of those. I open cover love books and read a couple pages to see if I’d personally enjoy it before buying it on impulse, and I won’t seek out reviews for it. I do the same for overly-hyped books, regardless of cover adoration (read a few pages before considering purchasing). Maybe the closest one would be The Crown’s Game. It didn’t receive poor reviews, but I guess it doesn’t live up to the hype? Maybe? I’ve no idea. Let’s go with that one, though I do still intend to read it.

      What is the most intimidating book on your tbr? || Hild or The Name of the Wind, though I’m not sure why. I know I want to read them, I know I’ll enjoy them, and I like big books so it’s not that either. I’ve probably just put them on this massive pedestal and I’m worried they won’t live up to it?

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      ~

      This was one giant psychological mess of a post! The Intimidating TBR Tag is deceiving — you think you’re just answering a handful of simple questions, but it really makes you think about your answers and why.

      What’s on your TBR? I tag anyone who is willing to tackle this! 

      Posted in book tag, books | 4 Comments | Tagged book tag, books
    • Advance Excitement at a Glance XXIV

      Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on April 30, 2016

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      A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.

      Holy massive month of releases. Some of my favorites — Morgan Matson, Stacey Lee, Stephanie Perkins, Jessica Brockmole, SJ Maas — and some potential newbies, like The Crown’s Game and Sing, all come out in May. But one book I’m particularly excited about, Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman, releases in just a few days!

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      Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman
      (Balzer + Bray, May 3)

      Six years have passed since England’s King Charles II returned from exile to reclaim the throne, ushering in a new era of stability for his subjects.

      Except for Elizabeth Milton, the daughter of notorious poet John Milton. By day she helps transcribe his latest masterpiece, the epic poem Paradise Lost, and by night she learns languages and sword fighting. Although she does not dare object, she suspects that he’s training her for a mission whose purpose she cannot fathom.

      When the king’s men arrest him, Elizabeth follows his one cryptic clue and journeys to Oxford, accompanied by an Italian scientist, Antonio Vivani. When the two discover that Milton has planted an explosive secret in the half-finished Paradise Lost—a secret the king and his aristocratic supporters are desperate to conceal—Elizabeth is faced with a devastating choice: cling to the shelter of her old life or risk cracking the code.

      Nerd book of nerdy proportions. Give it to me now.

      What books are you looking forward to in May?

      Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 0 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, advance reading copy, books
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    • Hello, I’m Laura!

      I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!
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